


sometimes all i think about is you

by omnihoe



Series: shinin' through the city with a little funk and soul [2]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Crying, GeorgeNotFound Has Heterochromia Iridum (Video Blogging RPF), Heartbreak, How Do I Tag, Hurt Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Long-Haired Clay | Dream (Video Blogging RPF), Lowercase, M/M, NO SMEXY JUST PURE LOVE AND FLUFF, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Past Relationship(s), THEY SHOWER TOGETHER EEEEEEEEEEEE, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, also theres like a smidge of smexy thoughts but it aint bad, i got no idea bro, it legit is very light i swear, no beta we die like dream with those potions, there is a lot of thinking, they love each other a lot, very fluffy istg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28239525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omnihoe/pseuds/omnihoe
Summary: it's getting too late to be at the studio, and it seems like staying at george's place is the best option.but clay didn't expect to cry in front of him.
Relationships: Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: shinin' through the city with a little funk and soul [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047565
Comments: 24
Kudos: 153





	sometimes all i think about is you

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer: you know the drill, don't ship real people. i only ship their personas and their characters, as well as my own renditions of them. if either of them turn out to be uncomfortable with the shipping, i'll take down all my dnf works.
> 
> also, a bit of a longer one but a hope you still enjoy reading until the end
> 
> also also, make sure to read the tags just in case there is something you don't like

it's no surprise to find at least one or two people at the studio late into the night.

_"just make sure to keep the place clean and lock up properly! don't stay up too late either! take care of yourselves!"_

bad would always remind them. one by one, everyone would trickle out of the studio as time went on. first it would be tommy and tubbo, normally accompanied by wilbur or niki. then the rest would follow; eret, ranboo, callahan, fundy, punz, ponk, schlatt and so on.

usually the last people you'd see would be quackity, techno, bad, skeppy, karl, sapnap and dream. and ever since george joined them, he's been one of, if not the most nocturnal member in the group. each and every night, the keys would be handed to him to lock the place up. no one knew just how late he'd stay up alone, dancing his soul out.

that was until he and dream officially started going out.

normally it was dream who stayed up with george, despite the brit not asking for him to in the first place. he'd usually sit to the side, just watching the show unfold. sometimes, he would join in if he felt he hadn't exhausted his energy yet. and other times, he would take a nap until george woke him up for them both to walk home after a long day.

today was not one of those days.

this time, it was george who was sitting back against the wall, watching as dream drains himself to his own satisfaction, sweating bullets and panting harsh breaths. despite this, he remains determined and focused to perfect the choreography that would win him the bet.

the bet being, whoever wins between him and techno, get a _huge_ cash prize from the studio owner, jimmy.

realistically, dream has no need for the money. he's plenty capable and has pretty heavy pockets from all his smart saving and time working at apple. plus, his parents practically force him to accept the couple thousand bucks they earn monthly. and though dream knows that money he's accepting isn't much for his parents, it still doesn't feel right to take it for himself.

despite being part of a filthy rich family, he'd rather pocket the money he earns on his own.

so no, he has no real need for the cash jimmy would give away. he doesn't even _want_ it in the first place. he's not a very materialistic guy.

what he does want, however, is to _win._

it's known by everyone that dream is a very competitive person. not to the point of being so unbearably confident and condescending, but to the point of being too hard on himself to become as perfect as possible. he hates hurting people because of his knack for seeing a lot of things as a competition. and if he does, he's not prideful enough to dismiss others' feelings. sapnap knows this, being his longest friend.

techno also knows this, being dream's friendly rival.

why they ever came to this conclusion anyway, having a bet for cash and having a dance battle, they have no idea.

but dream finds himself here, dancing late into the night (or very early morning, he doesn't know) and being the harshest critic he can be. after all, the person who will criticize someone the most is one's self. he doesn't exactly know why he's like this. he's never been so set on beating someone to the point of dancing himself to death. maybe because it's techno? no, it can't be. they've done this before. or maybe because he may or may not want his family to be proud of him? well, technically they already _are_ , but it wouldn't hurt to exceed their expectations.

or maybe...

ah.

with an exhausted huff and a newfound realization in mind, he halts in his movements, allowing the music to play in the background. he can barely even hear it through the blood pounding in his hears and the harsh beating of his heart against his ribcage. 

"you okay?" 

_ah._

dream nods at that, albeit a little delayed. he knows george can tell he's bound to collapse soon if he doesn't stop, so he doesn't stop the brunet from pausing the music and standing up. he sees george stretching from his peripheral and watches as he nears him. dream doesn't dare move when george stops in front of him, lifting his hands up to brush away the dampened strands of hair that fell from the loose tie dream haphazardly pulled them into earlier.

"you need to rest." george says gently. "it's getting really late. you can continue tomorrow, dream."

dream huffs out a sigh at that and slumps his shoulders, leaning forward to plant his forehead against george's shoulder. the shorter of the two doesn't seem to mind his sweat and warmth, instead chuckling fondly and securing him in a safe embrace.

"how do you last like this?" dream asks, tone bordering on a whine.

"unlike you, i don't wake up at five in the morning." george grins. "i sleep in until an hour before i have to go to the studio."

"yeah, i know, but-" dream pulls away with an adorable pout. "but how do you not feel _sleepy_? the night is just- it like, kind of compels you to fall asleep."

"my sleep schedule is nonexistent, darling." george smiles, poking dream's nose with a finger. "i sleep whenever i want."

dream grins at that. "lucky." he leans in for a kiss, and george gladly accepts, muffling a giggle against dream's lips.

when they pull away again, george grimaces playfully. "let's go home, okay? you need a shower." 

dream tilts his head slightly in confusion. "home?"

george's cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink, making him look even younger and more ethereal. "h-home, yeah. my flat. it's late and i doubt you'll be able to make it back to your place without passing out cold against a light post."

"a-ah, i see." dream can't help but flush as well. 

despite having been to george's flat before, and george being at his, it never fails to make him a little flustered and nervous to be alone with him in a private space like that. not that he thinks _something_ is going to happen, it's more complicated than that. 

a lot more complicated.

before his thoughts spiral into places he would rather not find hinself trapped in, george thankfully gives him another peck on the lips before fully pulling away to pack up their stuff.

he catches the towel george tosses at him and wipes at his sweat, watching george quickly tucking their items into their bags and zipping them up. he pauses and blinks, as if in thought and dream is just about to ask what was up when george turns to him with a questioning expression.

"you have clothes to change into, right?"

dream blinks at hin for a moment before nodding his head slowly. "yes."

george sighs in what seems to be relief, standing up with a bag hanging from each shoulder. "thank god. i don't know if my clothes would fit you."

dream manages a laugh at that, taking the bag a grinning george nudges towards him. "oh, come on now. we don't have _that_ much of a size difference!"

"i'm willing to bet my oversized hoodies would be fitted on you." george shrugs. "and my pants? don't even get me started."

dream smirks at that, leaning in close to smooch george's cheek teasingly. "i'm glad you think my dumptruck is massive, georgie."

george scoffs, a grimace and a grin both present on his face as he shoves at dream's shoulder. "you're an idiot."

"i'm your idiot." dream knows the smile on his face is stupid and lovestruck. but who wouldn't be smitten by george?

the brunet rolls his eyes playfully. "yes, you are."

with a satisfied grin and a bit of newfound energy, he and george lock up and make sure everything is secure for the night before leaving the building. only then when they stepped into the cold night air and dead streets did dream realize it's _way_ past the time he should even be awake, let alone be outside.

he glances at george and briefly wonders just how accustomed he is to this quiet and dark atmosphere, borderline creepy and uncomfortable. george doesn't seem fazed, so dream can only follow as george leads the way to his flat a few minutes away.

dream takes the time to dwell in his thoughts then, surrounded by a comforting silence as he and george walk in sync. even their close proximity sends his heart pounding a little too hard for his liking, but it isn't exactly unwelcome. he's surprised he still feels like he's soaring, dancing on fluffy clouds and being thousands of feet above the ground whenever he's with george, or even thinks about george. 

and he _hates_ heights.

he supposes it isn't too bad when it's because of george. as long as he doesn't fall, then he'll be fine.

it isn't even heights that terrify him. it's the concept of falling from such an unbearable and nauseating height.

falling _in_ love, that, he can handle to a point. when he fell for george, the older caught him and he caught george when he came tumbling down. they hold each other's trembling hands as they walk on the path of clouds paved just for them, not knowing where it'll take them but never doubting that it'll be somewhere absolutely beautiful.

then came the prospect of falling _out_ of love. that, that's what terrifies him the most. screw amusement park rides made to suck your soul out of your body and cause your stomach to do literal and figurative flips, because this is the most horrific way to fall.

dream grits his teeth at the thought, nearly faltering in his steps when he glances down at george again.

he's scared. and rightfully so.

not everything works out in dream's favor, despite what a lot of people think. he always strives to be the best, have a great and fun life, be happy and make everyone just as, if not even more happy than him.

and he's scared of not being enough.

it wasn't him that fell out of love first, and yet it still hurts just the same. even though he was on the receiving end of pain and deception, falling out of that love he used to cherish once upon a time proves to be just as agonizing.

coming home to see the beauty he fell in love with coddled up in someone's else's arms on their- _his bed_ , it didn't feel painful at first. he just felt empty and shocked, voice quiet as he asked them both to pack and leave. only when those three words, those _three goddamn words_ left her lips in a 'guilty' plea did he snap and scream. he raised a hand, he remembers, but never struck her. he would never hurt someone he loves. he instead let his arm fall and forced them both to leave with a cold threat and a final 'we're done, never talk to me again.'.

she never did. she never looked back, never said anything else, never texted or called, never loved him again, and dream was thankful but at the same time upset.

nothing could've prepared him for that moment, even moreso the moment he realized that after years of pining and loving her, his feelings began to dwindle and die and that's what scared him the most. 

he always thought love would be forever, like how his mom would tell him stories of how his dad, despite the rejections she put him through, he still loved her to death and she found herself in love with him all along. his dad would always wrap his arms around her waist when she's in the kitchen, cooking or washing the dishes, always making her laugh and taking her out to weekly dates. even now, they would tell him of whatever romantic and cheesy thing the other has done.

he remembers tearfully telling his parents just hours after the incident, hours after he locked himself up in the bathroom to cry and drown in his own despair. he remembers collapsing on the couch at his parents' house after driving as quickly as he could without causing any accidents. he remembers how his sister sat down in front of him, holding his hands, patches bumping her head against his stomach, his parents either side of him as they consoled him.

dream has always been a sensitive and emotional person, and he's not even an ounce ashamed of the fact that he sobbed his broken heart out in front of his family while they listened to his shattered rants.

for the next weeks that came, they made sure to keep him reassured and comforted. sapnap would always stop by as well, making sure to keep his spirits elevated and out of the dumps.

since then, dream always thought he would never fall in love again. they always denied it, telling him to believe and never lose hope. he didn't fall for it.

until george came along, and the rest is history.

the first time he told his family about his newfound interest in the brunet, his mother had immediately told him to bring him over for dinner, while his father started to coach him on how to make a move as if he hadn't already been in a relationship before. his sister, well, she never let him hear the end of it, begging to get as much information out of him as possible.

when they started officially dating after an eternity of dancing around the topic of being in a relationship, his family absolutely _adored_ george. dream's mom wouldn't stop gushing over him and his easy charm, and his dad held an easy and comfortable conversation with him. his sister was practically banned from interacting with george after she outed dream, saying that he was head-over-heels for him. that didn't stop her from sneaking in a few conversations with him about who knows what. george would deny it, but dream can tell from the glint of mischief in those two-toned eyes that they _definitely_ talked about him.

dream feels his lips quirk up at the light mood his own thoughts put him in. he feels george's hand brushing his, and when he looks down, emerald green eyes are staring into a whiskey shade and an electric blue, sparkling under the artificial light of the streetlamps and the faint shimmer of the silver moon.

"your thoughts are loud." george murmurs, and links his pinky with dream's.

"are they?" dream can't surpress his grimace.

"yeah." george nods slightly. "i can feel them too."

dream frowns at that. "you can?" his voice turns quiet.

george nods again. "i'm here if you need someone to talk to, okay? always here." he says. "you're not obligated to share everything just because we're together now. i respect your boundaries and i won't force you to spill anything and everything. i just want you to know that i'm here just in case you're about to overflow."

dream is left speechless at the considerate words and gentle tone, allowing george to smile brightly up at him. the brunet interlocks their hands easily, leaning up on his toes to press a chaste kiss onto dream's flushed cheek.

george tugs them back into a steady pace, and dream can't help but sink into his thoughts yet again, this time going through his mental list of seemingly endless reasons as to why he loves george.

he feels ecstatic to be here, to be with george, to hold his hand, to hear his melodic laugh and smooth accented voice, to stare into his mismatched eyes, to run his hands and tangle his fingers in his curled brown locks.

he will never, ever get tired of george and that's a fact.

dream is snapped out of his list, stopping on reason twenty-eight, when george tugs on his hand and leads him up a set of stairs. he realizes they've reached george's apartment building and watches as george gently pushes the door open. the trip up the elevator isn't exactly very long, and soon enough they reach the fourth floor. george leads him to his room, four-zero-four, and pulls out his keys from his pocket. dream finds himself smiling when he sees the custom keychain of a white 'blob' with a simple smiley face drawn on. he has his own keychain, one of tiny white glasses, the lens being black.

bad gave them the keychains as a gift one day, and dream and george decided to switch. and well, yes, people may or may not have teased them for it a little bit, calling it 'cheesy'. but hey, that's okay.

george pushes the door open and ushers dream inside before shutting and locking the door again. he leans up to kiss dream's cheek quickly and tugs his hand away a little hesitantly. dream pouts playfully and george can only laugh at him.

"you can drop your stuff anywhere. i'll just get a snack. you want anything?" george tosses his bag on the couch, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"cold water, maybe?" dream shrugs, heading over to place his bag alongside george's.

dream takes a look around, but it's not like anything has changed. everything is neat and in order, reflecting george's organized nature. well, mostly. he takes another gander at some of the picture frames on the walls, a lot of them of his family and from his childhood up to now. he knows the layout, knows what goes where and how everything should look from the times he's been there.

he takes another look around and finds something amiss.

"where's cat and dog?" he asks just as george comes back with a glass of cold water for him and a granola bar for himself.

"probably sleeping in my room." george says around the granola bar, watching in amusement as dream downs the glass in only a few seconds. "that thirsty?"

dream sighs in relief at the cold sensation running down his throat, cooling his chest and making him feel even more refreshed. "dehydrated." he corrects. "and sweaty."

"you mean dried."

"both can apply." dream shrugs, allowing george to take the glass from his grasp to take it to the sink.

he finds it odd how george only hums in reply and even more odd when he pauses at the sink, not putting down the glass, and just crumpling up the wrapper of the granola bar he's quickly finished. dream can see he's chewing slowly, and he waits, watching george just standing there, leaning against the counter but facing away from him. before he could utter a word, george clears his throat and finally, gently sets down the glass in the sink.

"let's go take a shower, then." he says, and dream doesn't mention the slight tremble in his voice as he says it.

instead he nods, and turns to search through his bag for his extra set of clothes. "alright. do you want to go first or should i? it's your shower, after all."

"n-no, i-" george cuts himself off with a sharp inhale and it's enough to make dream look over at him in slight worry. dream finds him gripping onto the counter with one hand, the other wringing at his side. his mismatched gaze is averted and seemingly a little conflicted, troubled, nervous, and dream doesn't know why. "i-i meant let's go. like, y-you know. shower. together. at the- um. at the same time."

george's voice gets quieter with each word, losing the steadiness they had before. his cheeks quickly turn a dark shade of pink , and dream finds that it makes him look extra pretty. he's gnawing at his lower lip now, and dream feels his own cheeks heating up, reaching up to his ears and down his neck. 

"y-you mean-"

george shakes his head immediately, knowing exactly what's going through dream's mind. "no! not like that! i-i just... i meant as in just shower together. nothing else. i mean, i-if that's what you want and you know, if you're okay with it?" it comes out panicked and fast, almost blending together in his rush to get thing cleared up. 

dream remains silent from the sheer shock at being suggested _that._ george, however, takes it wrongly and backtracks completely.

"we don't have to if you don't want to. i-i just thought it would be nice and all. a-and you know, relaxing? i can tell you're stressing and tired with the bet and stuff, and you seemed upset earlier so... well... yeah, i-i don't know. forget it. i-"

"yes." 

dream knows he said it a little too quickly once he's finally gathered his words, cutting george off before he could take back what he said. it's evident in the way george looks up at him so fast, dream could've sworn he heard a tiny _crack_ from whiplash. george winces at that and rubs at the back of his neck, causing dream to huff out a snort.

"you okay there?" he asks, gathering his bundled clothes in his arms and walking over.

george nods and gives him a sheepish smile. "y-yeah. just surprised, that's all."

dream laughs at the adorable display and leans down to plant a sweet kiss onto his forehead. " _you_ surprised _me_." he says. "but yes, i want to take a shower with you."

without another word, george takes dream by his arm and gently tugs him towards where the bathroom is. dream can feel his heart thumping hard against his chest, suddenly feeling extremely anxious. this could go many ways; among all others, things could get unbearably awkward, things can get incredibly steamy, or the most ideal, things could go absolutely perfect and relaxing, soft and intimate, and very lovely. 

dream desperately wants it to be the last one.

"leave your clothes in my room so that they won't get wet. get a towel from my closet too." george tells him, patting his chest lightly. "and careful of cat and dog." 

george smiles at him, before entering the bathroom. dream lingers for a moment, peeking through the door cracked open. george heaves out a breath and wrings his hands nervously before tugging at the hem of his shirt and lifting it well over his torso.

dream immediately looks away with wide eyes and lips pressed in a thin line, heading straight for george's room. he can't help the blush on his cheeks despite seeing george, along with most of the others half-naked. in this circumstance though, it feels way too different to be the usual.

he toes the door to george's room open to see dog sleeping off to the side, and cat now staring at him from the bed. he finds it oddly adorable how george nicknamed his dog and cat, 'dog' and 'cat'. he remembers teasing him for it, remembers the pout on george's face when he realized he couldn't retaliate with patches.

"hey, buddy." he greets softly, stepping over quietly to where cat was resting, crouching down to run a gentle hand over the soft fur. "how are you?" 

cat purrs in reply, nuzzling against dream's hand. the blond smiles at the action, setting his clothes down on the bed. cat meows, staring at the bundle curiously. he crawls over and paws at the clothes. dream lets him, pulling away when cat becomes distracted.

dream walks over towards the closet, faintly aware of where george has his towels. leaning down, he pulls opens the bottom drawer, picking through the array of soft towels before settling on a green one in between a plain white and a cotton candy pink. 

_cute._

shutting the drawer, he slings the towel over his shoulder and steps over to where dog was now yawning and blinking awake, letting out a small yip.

"hello to you too." he chuckles, kneeling down to pet dog. "sorry for waking you." 

dog only huffs and shuts her eyes, a low satisfied rumble emiting from her frame. dream smiles. "sleep well, dog." 

he stands back up and leaves the room, shutting the door behind him quietly. with a deep breath, he stalks over towards the bathroom, pausing at the doorway when he hears the trickling of the water from the shower. and suddenly, he's nervous all over again.

it's strange, how he never felt this anxious before, not even when they first kissed that day in the studio, not even when they went on their first date, not even when they met each other's parents.

he calms himself, reasons with himself, pictures that oh-so lovely and captivating smile adorned only by the love of his life.

"it's just george." he whispers to no one but himself.

with that, he pushes the door open, peeking in and seeing george's silhouette through the shower curtain. his clothes are neatly organized in a pile on the toilet lid. a navy blue towel is hanging readily just outside the shower, within arm's reach. he steps over and hangs his green one beside it. through the curtain, he sees george move, presumably facing him.

"how do you like the water?" george asks over the pitter-patter.

"not too hot, not too cold." dream shrugs, turning to rid himself of his once sweat-drenched clothing. "lukewarm."

george hums, "just like me, then."

dream knows george means something else, but can't help the laugh that slips past his lips. "actually, no. you're hot, not lukewarm."

george sputters, chuckling flusteredly at the comment. "oh, shut up."

"you love me." dream teases, kicking off his boxers and running a hand through his hair.

"maybe."

he turns back around and pauses for a moment, another wave of anxiety washing over him.

_what if something changes? badly? maybe not now, but someday. just like before._

he gulps at that.

_no. this is george. he would never._

another deep breath, another step closer. a hand on the curtain, and he pulls. he pulls it open, gently, nervously, and catches george's soft and loving gaze. and there's that mesmerizing smile, matched so perfectly with those bright and expressive orbs of blue and amber.

his hair is already wet from testing the water, droplets running down his face and down his collarbones, down his chest, torso. dream doesn't find it as scandalous as he would've, maybe in other circumstances. he just finds it breathtakingly astonishing, absolutely beautiful and he can't help a smile.

"hi." dream greets him, breathless, heart pounding.

"hi." george is equally as speechless, cheeks turning pink and fidgeting in a flustered yet adorable manner. "well? care to join me?"

"gladly." is all dream says as he steps into the shower, right under the warm spray of the water.

he realizes he's blocked of a majority of the water, and george will be left completely unsoaked if they don't switch positions. he wheezes, seeing george pout at him for blocking the water, laughing even more when george slaps his chest lightly.

"you ass." george snorts.

"what about my ass?" dream teases.

"it's big and fat." 

dream laughs, cheeks hurting from all the smiling. his hands tentatively rest on george's waist, and he's glad that george doesn't flinch away from his touch. it feels familiar, holding his waist in dances and practice, but also not. not this way as they're both bare and vulnerable, only for each other to see.

george's hands make their way up to his broad shoulders, massaging at the tense muscles. that, george's firm yet comforting touch combined with the warmth of the water, causes his eyes to shut in content. a sigh leaves his lips, and he feels so much more relaxed, relieved, the weight on his shoulders seemingly lifted by just the simplest of touches.

he feels safe here, under the spray of the water with george. he feels grounded and reassured, the earth beneath his feet stable and rooting him down. but at the same time, he feels so high up in the air, ecstatic and free, being able to feel the clouds between his fingers. dream feels as though this is where he belongs, where he's supposed to be. 

_not with-_

his grip on george's waist tightens, and he opens his eyes to see blue and brown staring right back. his brunet fringe falls over his forehead, sticking to his skin from the dampness.

"something wrong?" george asks, perhaps pertaining to the change of pressure on his waist.

"no." dream smiles fondly. "i just-" 

_i love you._

"i just feel a lot better." _i love you._

george smiles. "i'm glad." he slowly pulls his hands back and reaches for dream's hair, running his nimble and slender fingers through the long golden- now a light shade of brown -strands. "i'll wash you. is that okay?" he asks softly.

"yes." dream breathes out, eyes shutting once more at the soothing sensation of george's fingers on his scalp.

they stay for a moment, just massaging, before leaving to grab the shampoo. dream's eyes involuntarily open at the loss of contact, keeping close watch on george's movements. 

it's strawberry-scented shampoo, he realizes. the same strawberry scent that he loves on george. the older male squeezes an adequate amount on his palm, returning the shampoo bottle before looking at dream with his pretty doe eyes.

"close your eyes, please." he says gently.

dream hums, eyes shutting obediently. not too long after that he feels george's fingers trailing through his hair, lathering the cold shampoo on his scalp in such a gentle and soothing way. he might as well fall asleep right then and there.

his hands follow a motion, a pattern, back and forth slowly five times before moving onto another section. then it repeats, over and again until dream can feel the suds running down his forehead and down the back of his neck.

"it's tickles." he giggles, shoulders lifting up and head tilting back.

george hums, a hint of a smile in his tone as he prods dream backwards so that he's directly under the spray of the water. dream holds his breath, allowing george to rinse off the suds and leftover shampoo. dream can feel it run down his back, his chest, can feel george's hands lovingly scrubbing away at his scalp and running through his tangled hair.

it's an amazing feeling, truly. he feels so incredibly happy, so overwhelemed and yet so relaxed. george is humming under his breath, and dream can feel his heart skipping a beat.

_i love you. i love you so much._

he really does, more than anything else. and he knows, he _knows_ for a damn fact that george loves him back, unwavering, unhesitant, no ounce of doubt. he's seen the looks on his face, caught the glances, witnessed the smiles, heard the laughs, felt the touches, everything. george _loves_ him. and he loves george just as much.

george's hands leave his hair, trailing down to his cheeks. it's a featherlight touch, and yet it's the only thing dream can feel. dream pulls george closer, and the brunet allows him, surpressing a shudder as the large hands tighten their grip again, not painfully, no. it makes him feel secure. george's thumbs wipe over dream's eyelids, and dream brings himself to crack them open.

and the sight he's blessed with, oh _god-_

_i love you._

_i love you i love you i love you i love you i-_

"pretty." dream blurts out in his lovestruck haze.

and george's smile, oh, his smile.

_there's nothing more beautiful in this world, and that's a fact._

"you think so?"

"yeah."

and george's lips are on his, soft and wet and very welcome. it's only for a second, yet even so, the kiss makes its mark on him, warmth spreading throughout his entire body. george's hands make their way down, down his face and to his neck, then down to his chest. their faces are centimeters apart, breaths mingling and warm.

"may i?" the question isn't complete, but the way george's hands run over his chest and shoulders in a somewhat similar motion as earlier has him nodding.

"of course." dream murmurs.

george doesn't step back or pull away, allows dream to have him as close as he desires. he only turns his head slightly and grabs the bottle of lavander body wash. he squeezes a fair amount onto his palm, maybe a bit more to compensate for dream's bigger coverage.

george isn't _that small_ , not at all. he's of average height, yes, maybe a little bit on the thinner side. well, _a lot_ on the thinner side. it's just how he's always been. regardless of all the food he practically inhales throughout the span of the day, nothing really changes. it could be attributed to the fact that he dances way more than he probably should.

or, he jokes, he's just built different.

george can still hears the cackles resonating in the studio.

with a fond smile, george tugs dream a bit away from the spray of the water and spreads the soap all over his chest and shoulders. something about george's touch sends dream into an overwhelmed and emotional state. this _should_ seem sensual, _should_ be something that leads to them muffling loud vocalizations and sharing questionable words and whispers that only _they_ should hear. and yet, this doesn't feel like it at all.

it feels so far away from steamy fantasies and unspoken thoughts straight from the gutter.

this feels like dream back at his grandparents' house in florida, by the lakeside, and he feels the familiar warmth and breeze sifting through the trees. this feels like one of those flower fields he and his family traveled to, him and his sister playing hide and seek and running around. this feels like an after-school night with sapnap at his best friend's treehouse, just chilling and looking up at the sky as it shifts colors, ranting about football and violin. this feels like a night out with the whole gang, a treat from jimmy after all their hardwork, from amusement parks, restaurants, resorts, and the like. this feels like that day he and george were alone, him watching the brunet before inevitably dancing together, kissing each other, laughing with one another.

this just feels like home.

dream can't help but stare, emerald eyes never faltering as they watch george's movements, and take in his every physical detail. he counts the light spread of freckles over the bridge of his nose, marking out as many constellations as he can. george's eyelashes are clumped together by the water, making them seem a little more prominent, darker, making his eyes pop out more. his brows are furrowed ever-so-slightly and dream just isn't able to resist the urge to lean in and press his lips against the wrinkled center. george eases himself unconsciously, and he looks more serene. he doesn't even need to spare a glance up at dream, remaining focused on his task to sud him up.

george's touch is like fire, each spot his fingers graze becomes enflamed and soon dream feels himself getting engulfed. it feels as though george's hands are making a stage off of him, fingers dancing gracefully and elegantly in a perfected choreography. dream is in awe at how easily george maps him out, unwavering and determined to memorize ever single nook and cranny, just as he does each time he learns something new to dance to.

"can you turn around for me, darling?"

_darling?_

dream practically melts at the name, feeling absolutely soft as he repeats george's silky voice in his head. he feels like putty, all pliant and obedient and he trusts george with his whole life, his body, his soul, his entire heart.

dream pulls his hands away from george's waist, and both of them immediately, evidently, want the contact back. but dream turns around, facing the spray of the water and his back to george.

"thank you, baby."

_god, the names. stop him, he's too much for my fragile heart to handle._

if he didn't feel elated before, he certainly does feel extremely euphoric now when he feels the familiar press of lips against the center of his back, right between his shoulderblades. he isn't able to stop the content hum that rumbles from deep within his chest.

george's touch, it's just way too much for him. it burns him, and he wants more. if he's going to turn into ash because of it, then so be it because _god_ , it's too addicting to pass up.

but the burn, he doesn't feel pain when it comes to devour him. he feels no agony when those slender fingers touch him, and he craves it so, so much. he feels at home, cozy, warm.

unlike with those cold hands, adorned with rings and acrylics too sharp for dream to be comfortable with. and yet, he suffered for the other's satisfaction. 

he feels loved in george's comforting embrace, feels safe and secure in his arms despite his bigger stature. whereas he felt distant from the girl who would cling tightly onto his arm for show, and felt small as she would poke and prod at him with those bedazzled hands for not being who she wanted him to be.

he feels everything he could ever want with george, and everything he could ever fear with her.

he actually, fully feels loved as those hands he's grown to adore run trails over the expanse of his back, spreading lavander suds and tracing scattered freckles. he feels as if he can breathe, he can live, he can be happy here with george.

this, all this was never present in his past relationship. he's always left hanging, always cold and alone and feels distant despite having slept in the same bed as her, lived in the same house as her. come to think of it, she doesn't like it when he wants to initiate contact, but practically forces herself onto him when an audience is present. he always felt so inadequate to even be with her and he would lie awake at night, just thinking of who he could be, and what he could never become.

dream wonders what in the world he ever saw in her in the first place.

and all that, all of that hurt he felt, all of the stinging sensations his heart had to endure in the one-sided romance he was fooled by, he finds it being bottled up again, clogging his throat and causing his the back of his eyes to ache. his chest feels tight all of a sudden, and his hands are starting to tremble, knees threatening to buckle from beneath him.

no, he refuses. he refuses to burst into tears in a moment like this. he doesn't want george to have to deal with his emotional baggage and past trauma, not right now.

but, as george's hands stop at his waist and as he feels the brunet leaning up on his toes to plant a kiss onto the nape of his neck, his body refuses to listen to his thoughts, completely going against the screams of _'no! stop!'._

the dam breaks, and the tears start flowing just as a broken sob escapes his trembling lips.

he can feel george instantly perking up behind him.

"dream?" he asks in a panicked voice. "dream, what's wrong? are you okay? do you want me to stop or-"

"no, d-don't." dream chokes out, shaking his head and running his shaky hands through his wet mop of hair. he grips at the ends and tugs, a nervous tic he does when his hair isn't up. "don't. just... just hold me, please." his voice breaks at the end.

"of course, darling." george whispers. "of course." 

dream feels lean arms wrap around his waist, a body flush against his, and kisses planted softly on his back. he sobs even more now, tears mixing with the warm spray of water from the shower. he focuses on the whispered words of reassurance from behind him, and he feels as if the weight holding him down is suddenly cut off, leaving him to float up towards the surface.

"i'm right here, dream. always will be." george mutters against his skin. "what else do you want me to do?" he asks carefully, pressing his forehead against dream's nape.

dream doesn't answer immediately, and george understands. he continues to press comforting kisses onto the expanse of tanned skin, whispering sweet words in between. he feels his panic from earlier diminish when dream's sobbing starts to die down a little.

they stay like this for a few more moments, and dream finds comfort in the warmth, the whispers, the kisses, and in george's heartbeat pounding against his back. slowly, he shifts and george allows him to, loosening his secure embrace on him. once he's back to facing george, his shaking hands are back on his waist, his forehead pressing against the other's.

"what else do you want me to do, lovely?" george repeats quietly, softly.

dream forces himself to speak, finding a sliver of his voice in the midst of his emotional wreckage. "t-tell me i'm en-enough." he hiccups. "tell me i-i'm good fo-for y-you. i know you w-won't lie." 

and in an instant, it clicks.

george needs no other explanation, vividly remembering a brief conversation he had with sapnap about how dream's past relationship went and ended, as well as some snippets dream let slip.

"oh, dream," he starts, hands coming up to cup dream's face. "you are absolutely perfect. you are more than i could ever ask for. you are amazing, you are stunning, you are talented, kind, smart, charming, funny, and so much more, love. you are so much more."

their eyes meet, bloodshot and mismatched.

"i love your for just being you, and i would never ask for someone else. never, okay?" 

dream can only nod.

"you are enough for me. no, you are _more_ than enough for me, and that is that."

when dream shuts his eyes, he can feel more tears trailing down his blotched cheeks. not from sadness, no, but from the sheer happiness and overwhelming comfort george put him in. 

"thank you." he doesn't care if his voice sounds wrecked, doesn't care if george sees him like this when only a handful of other people already have. george makes him feel important and that's all that matters to him. "thank you."

"of course, clay." dream lets out a sob at the use of his real name. it sounds so sweet rolling off of george's tongue. "i love you."

dream's large hands reach up to encompass george's, their fingers intertwining habitually. "i love you too." he manages a small smile. "so much."

and then george grins, pearly-whites coming to blind dream. "i know." 

their lips meet in a kiss full of adoration and coziness, salty from the tears but no less absolutely fantastic. there's no fireworks, no sparks, but there's warmth. warmth like the summer sun greeting them through the blinds, like a thick duvet covering over them as the rain pelts on the window, like the studio after hours of intense choreography practice.

it's home.

when they part, they stay centimeters away, nose brushing against each other and hot breaths fanning their faces. they run over the constellations on the other's face, the redness of their cheeks, the fire in their eyes and they just stare.

"i'm sorry." dream manages to utter out.

"what for?" george's brows furrow.

"i didn't mean for this to get all sad." dream's chests rumbles with a flustered laugh, eyes crinkling as it comes with a smile.

george laughs along with him, and suddenly the heavy atmosphere is lifted.

_only if you knew the power you hold, george._

"it's okay, clay. you scared me a little but," george pauses tucking a few wet strands of hair behind dream's ear. "at least you feel better now, right?"

dream nods. "a lot better, yes."

"good." 

there's a momentary yet comfortable pause of just taking each other in, getting intoxicated by the proximity and expressed emotions swirling around them.

then dream reaches to the side, grabbing the shampoo bottle and waving it in front of george with a smile. "can i return the favor?"

george's cheeks betray him, a chuckle spilling from his mouth as he nods. "i'd love that, for sure."

the scent of strawberry, and soon lavander, yet again permeate throughout the bathroom, the running water being a break in the silence for the rest of the time there aside from the occasional hum and murmur. and dream doesn't need any words of reassurance to know that george loves the way his larger hands run across his pale body. the way george leans into him, turning into putty is enough for him to know.

•••

"george?"

"yes?"

they're in bed now, cuddled up under the blankets and holding each other close. george carefully maneuvered cat onto the cushioned seat in the corner, succeeding without any hisses of complaints or claws coming to prod at him. they're lucky there's no schedule for the next day, or later, rather, so sleeping in wouldn't be such a hassle.

"i have something to tell you."

dream can feel the fingers in his hair faltering for a split-second, but george hums for him to continue, his chest rumbling under dream's hands.

"go on."

the younger of the two shimmies his foot to slip in between george's tangling with one ankle as he scoots closer, nuzzling further into george's collar. it would be a bit of a comedic sight, as sapnap would tease them. dream, the taller and more built of the two being the one being wrapped by spindly arms and being covered by a leaner and shorter frame.

dream could care less.

"it's about the bet."

"oh?"

dream's fingers trace random shapes on the smaller's chest, smoothing the creases and pinching the fabric of his sweater. george has one hand on his waist, thumbing the sliver of skin from where his shirt rode up, and another tangled in his mop of blond hair, still a little damp.

"i've never pushed myself like that in a long time." he admits. "i probably would've gone further if you weren't there."

george doesn't speak. he listens and taps his thumb on the exposed skin. dream continues.

"i don't need the money. i don't want it, is the thing. i just want to win and..." he pauses. "i-i just want to win and impress you. impress you the way you impress me each and every time you take over the dancefloor."

george's breath hitches, fingers twitching to a stop and dream leans back to see george with a taken aback expression. 

"is that bad?" he murmurs worriedly.

george huffs and pulls dream back, nuzzling against the blond's damp hair. "of course not, dream. i'm just surprised." dream can feel him smiling, he can even _hear_ the grin in his voice. "you don't need to push yourself to impress me, you know? everything you do awes me, anyway. even the simplest of things make my heart do things i never really thought it could do."

dream sighs against george's neck, a huff of a laugh following. "god, you have no idea what you do to me, georgie." he's breathless, and if he could say 'i love you' a million times over he would, but his chest feels too tight to do so.

"and you have no idea what _you_ do to _me_." george sounds equally as winded, and the way the grip on his waist tightens has dream's heart jumping up to his throat.

dream feels like falling, and george is right beside him with a hand clutching his. he doesn't mind the feeling, in fact, he absolutely adores the adrenaline that flows through his veins. maybe if he stares hard enough at george, he would see brilliant and powerful wings that would save them both from crashing hard. and if he's aware enough, maybe he could feel the weight on his own back as well.

dream can feel george's breathing start to even out, and his own eyes droop in exhaustion. he tugs at george's foot with his own, and george takes it upon himself to pull him impossibly closer.

"goodnight, georgie." he mumbles sleepily.

"goodnight, clay." george whispers, sounding just as tired.

and as dream's eyes shut, being lulled to sleep by the miniscule and sleepy movements on his scalp and waist, his lips quirk up in a content smile.

_falling in love with you is the best damn feeling in the whole world, and i would never trade it for anything else._

**Author's Note:**

> btw title is from 'heat waves' duh lmao
> 
> also i have no idea why i wrote this but ever since i saw that reddit post of this guy being washed by his girlfriend, i just couldn't resist and this happened so yeah
> 
> also if i don't find myself a person that treats me like this i will never believe in true love again haha jkjk don't fight me pls
> 
> also i have a feeling this thing is all over the place and i'm sorry about that lol


End file.
